Notes and Links to Santiago José Sanchez’s Work

For Episode 242, Pete welcomes Santiago José Sanchez, and the two discuss, among other topics, their childhood in Colombia and Miami, their experiences with bilingualism, formative and transformative reading, especially in his college years, how teaching informs their writing and vice versa, the wonderful multiple points of view in Hombrecito, salient themes in his collection like masculinity, immigration, queerness, familial ties, reinvention and Americanization, and ideas of home.

Santiago José Sánchez, a Grinnell College assistant professor of English and a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, is a queer Colombian American writer. Santiago’s writing has appeared in McSweeney’s, ZYZZYVA, Subtropics, and Joyland and been distinguished in Best American Short Stories. They are the recipient of a Truman Capote Fellowship from the University of Iowa and an Emerging LGBTQ Voices Fellowship from Lambda Literary. Their debut novel is Hombrecito, out as of June 25.

Buy Hombrecito

Santiago's Website

New York Times Review of Hombrecito

At about 2:35, Santiago talks about their early relationship with the written word, and their early fascination with and exposure to storytelling

At about 4:55, Santiago expounds upon how Hombrecito is a “love letter” to their mom, and their special relationship with her

At about 6:00, Santiago speaks to the interplay between English and Spanish in their life and in their writing

At about 9:15, Santiago talks about Colombian Spanish and its uniqueness

At about 11:20, Santiago highlights books and writers (like Greenwell’s Mitko) and a class with Professor Michael Cunningham that grew their huge love of writing and literature

At about 13:25, Santiago discusses ideas of representation, including works by Justin Torres, that made them feel seen, but also gaps in representation

At about 14:40, Santiago cites Small Rain by Greenwell, Ocean Vuong’s new book, Ruben Reyes, Jr.’s There is a Rio Grande in Heaven, and Melissa Mogollon’s Oye as exciting and inspiring

At about 16:05, Santiago responds to Pete’s question about how writing informs their teaching

At about 18:30, Pete and Santiago rave about Jamil Jan Kochai’s “Playing Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ” and Santiago talks about their students loving the story

At about 22:45, Santiago gives background on using different points-of-view and terminology for the narrator(s) in Hombrecito

At about 26:40, Santiago describes the book as “autofiction”

At about 28:10, “He lives between the world and his own mind,” a key quote from the beginning of the book, and the narrator’s mother, are explored through a discussion of an early pivotal scene, which also bring talk of a certain type of sexism/misogyny directed at single mothers

At about 32:15, Santiago explains the ways in which they use and views the term “queer”

At about 34:10, Pete gives a little exposition of the book, featuring a scene where the book’s title is first introduced-Santiago expands on the book’s title and its myriad significance

At about 38:10, An understated scene that ends Part I is discussed; Santiago describes their mindset in writing the scene in that way

At about 40:55, The two explore the narrator’s insistence on calling his mother “Doctora” upon their move to Miami

At about 43:10, Santiago gives an explanation of the book’s oft-referenced “portal”

At about 46:00, The last scene where the narrator is “Santiago” and an important transition, is looked at

At about 46:50, The two reflect upon ideas of Americanization, and a supposedly-perfect/”normative” family dynamic that Santiago and their mother seek out

At about 53:25, Santiago’s mother and brother and their circumstances early in their time in Miami is discussed-Santiago details the “reshaping” of the family’s situation

At about 56:05, Pete asks Santiago about the narrator’s first lover and what repelled and brought them back together so many times

At about 59:35, Santiago explains how the book is “a lot about silences” and focuses on the short and incredibly-powerful Chapter 11

At about 1:01:45, Pete cites the previously-mentioned meaningful and resonant flashback

At about 1:02:50, The book’s last section and its focus on the narrator and his father’s ever-evolving, ever-loving relationship is discussed

At about 1:06:00, Santiago shares some of the feedback they have received since the book has been released, as well as information on their upcoming tour

At about 1:10:35, Santiago reads an excerpt from the book that forces the reader to salivate and smile

At about 1:12:45, Pete tells a story about translation gone wrong for the fourth or fifth time-eek!

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Please tune in for Episode 243 with Kathleen Rooney, who is founding editor of Rose Metal Press and a founding member of Poems While You Wait. She teaches English and creative writing at DePaul University and is the author, most recently, of the novel From Dust to Stardust, as well as the poetry collection Where Are the Snows.

The episode will go live on July 16.

Lastly, please go to https://ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.